Cane Webbing and Spline Bundle, 6.6 ft Roll with #8 Reed Spline

This bundle puts the two materials for a pressed cane seat in one order: a 6.6 ft roll of open weave natural rattan cane webbing, and 6.6 ft of #8 reed spline. Number 8 spline fits a groove 3/16 in wide.

Check your groove before you order. Clean out the old glue and spline, then gauge the width at the top of the groove. A drill bit makes a quick gauge: if the smooth shank of a 3/16 in bit drops in snugly, #8 is right. If your groove is narrower or wider, order the matching spline size on its own; the cane in this bundle works with any groove.

The webbing is enough for two to four average chair seats, depending on seat size. The spline is a single length for one seat: a seat with a 15 x 15 in opening has a groove about 5 ft around, so 6.6 ft goes all the way round with some to spare. For each extra seat, add another length of spline.

In outline, the seat goes in like this:

• Give the spline a short soak of 10 to 15 minutes and the cane about half an hour, both in warm water.
• Center the cane over the opening, glossy face up, with a row of strands running parallel to the front rail.
• Wedge it down into the groove at the middle of one side, then the opposite side, then the other two, and fill in toward the corners.
• Slice off the surplus along the outside bottom edge of the groove with a sharp chisel or utility knife.
• Glue the groove, mallet the spline in, and trim its end to butt against the start at the back of the seat.

Let the seat dry completely before anyone sits on it; the cane pulls tight as it dries.

Choose the width from your seat. Measure the opening from groove to groove at its widest point, side to side and front to back, and add at least 2 in to each. The smaller number has to fit within the roll width: the 16 in roll takes openings up to 14 in on the short side, the 20 in roll up to 18 in, and the 24 in roll up to 22 in.

Then check the length. Lay the long sides of all the seat pieces you plan to cut end to end; together they must fit in 6.6 ft, about 79 in. Three seats with 19 in pieces use 57 in, so they fit with room to spare.